Vehicle



April 5 1927.

l. H. ATHEY VEHICLE Filed Feb. 1, 1,923

L UAV @Ngwwgr Patented Apr. 5, 1927 UNITED STATES Isaac H. Arnay,

`P a il OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO .ATHEY TRUSS WHEEL CO.,CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

VEHICLE.

Application led February 1, 1923. SeriallNo. 616,406.

My invention relates to improvements in vehicles, and is particularlyconcerned with improvements in that typeI of vehicle iii which the loadsupporting wheels roll upon an endless track chain.

The objects of my' invention are:

First, to provide a vehicle of the chai-ac ter described, comprising anovel track chain foi-ined of a plurality ot' shoes having iiiio wardlyvextending truss arms, which are trussed together by novel collapsiblemeans so that that part of the track chain which is carrying the loadforms a sort of bridge upon wliichtthe load vsupporting wheels roll.

Second, to provide a track chain of the character described, in whichthe tread meniber and the truss arm of each shoeare separately formed,but so designed as to provide a construction of maximum strength.

Third, to provide a shoe for a track chain in which maximum strength isobtained with a minimum amount of material.

Fourth, to provide a shoeforming a part ofthe track chain, in which thetruss anni orI arms are so connected with the tread member as toeliminate 'some of the stresses or strainswhich are commonly incident tovshoes in which the truss arms and tread members aie integrally formed.

Fifth, to provide a track chain comprising novel `collapsible means forconnecting the inner ends of the truss arms forming a partpf the trackchain, and

Sixth, to provide a track chain in which the truss elements or chain andthe inner ends of the truss arms are so arranged as ,to provide maximumresistance against transverse deflection or movement of the ,variousshoes with respect to adjacent shoes.

Other objects will appear as this description progresses, reference.being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a vehicle embodying my invention, one of the loadsupporting w eels being removed for the purpose of better illustration;

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken on line 2 -2 of Figure l; f

Figure 3 is a similar view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a horizontal transverse section taken on line 4-4 of Figure2, and y Figure 5 is a detail side elevation showing'a modified form oftruss construction.

Throughout the several views, similar refu eience characters will beused for referring to similar parts.

l have illustrated my invention in connecsecured to each end of eachshaft 12, so that each end ot' the beam 11 carries a pair of the loadsupporting Wheels 13.

The track oi endless tread chain for supporting the load carryingwheels. 13 is formed of a plurality ot' shoes, each of wliichcoinprisesa 'more or less cliannel-shaped ltread member 1&1, the ends ot which arebridged, as indicated at 15, to vprovide tread surfaces for the wheels13 to roll upon.

A pair ot`-liinge lugs 16 projects from one side of the channel-shapedtreadmember in spaced relation, and a similar pair of liingir lugs 17projects 4from the opposite side of the tread member in spaced relation,but

sufficiently close togetherso that'they fit in between the hinge lugs 1Gprojecting from the adjacent shoe. Pintles 18 pivotally c'onnect thelugs 16 with the lu s 17 of an adjacent shoe so as to form a exibletrack or belt passing around and between the two pairs of wheels carriedby the beam 11.

It is desirable that the lower reach of the track chain, that is, theportion of the chain extending from the bottom side. of one pair ofwheels 13 to the bottoniv side of' theI other pair ot' wheels '13, be soconstructed that it acts somewhat like a single rigid link or bridge forsupporting the load and distributing the same over a relativelyextensive area of ground. To assure this, .I provide each shoe -with aninwardly extending truss element comprising two converging arms 19 and20. respectively which are integrally formed at their inner ends andcarry a cross head 21, which will later be referred to. Arm 19 is moreor less cruciform in'cross section, as shown in Figure 4, but the trussarms-20 are formed of a pair of cruciform sections, the lower ends ofwhichv are spaced vapart and connected by a web` portion 22 which, asshown in Figure 4, is concaved inwardly to provide a clearance for thetruss arm 19 ofthe adjacent li'nk when the links fold together, as shownin Figure 1, to pass y around the wheels. .The outerl end of the trussarm 19 termi-v nates in a bearingblock 23 which is received be clearlyunderstood that this is .merely for convenience, and that these elementsmay or may not form'bear s' for the pintles 18, as 'may' be desired.nder some conditions, it may be desirable to have the pintles l18 rotatein the elements 23 and 24, and

under certain other conditions, it may be de.- sired to have the pintlesrigidly secured to these'bearing blocks. My invention contemplates bothconstructions. v

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, it has been the practice to cast thetruss arms integrally` with the tread' members, and it sometimeshaplpens that due to too ra id or too uneven coo lng of the newly formecastings, certain stresses are set up at the points4 where the trussarms-join the tread members,

with the result that breakage very "frequently occurs at these points. B

1 stresses `are ehminated. It will also be clearly understood that bforming the truss y pivot pins 25 per arms andthe tread mem ersseparately, the manufacture of the shoes is considerably simplified andcheapened. -Repair is likewise simplified and` cheapnened because the-tread shoes and trussing elements may be vseparately removed andrelaced when wear or injury to any part ma esrepairs necessary oradvisable.

A pivot pin 25ex'tends through and projectsfrom each side of each crosshead 21.

^ A' pair of truss chains 26 connects the opposite ends of each pivotpin 25 with the corresponding ends of each adjacent pivot pin 25 so asto provide collapsible means for rigidly trussing the innerends of thetruss arms of the shoes forming the lower' reach of the track chain.Each of the links of the truss-chains 26 is formed from a air ofstampings 26', and the adjacentover appin `ends of these stampings 26are connecte by' suitable pivot fpins 27, except where the orm the lsamefunction.

In` operation the pivotally interconnected shoes of the'tread chain foldtogether while passin about the rims of the load supportw eels and-unfold' into relatively 11.18 straight bands between the wheels. The

the con- :struction which; I have )ust descri ed, these vplates and th'ebridge members.

pintle supported trussing elements comprising the truss chain 'likewisefold together while passing about the load supporting Wheels andinterlock to stilen the tread chain between the wheels and limit itsinward or concave lexure under load.

-In Figure 5, I have illustrated a modified form of truss chainconnection in which one or more of the links of each portion of thechain lying between adjacent truss arms are formed of one or morestampings 26, having 'aslot-28 extending lengthwise thereof, which willpermit the two pivot pins 27- to approach each other during the initialcol-` 'Y lapsing movement of the truss chain without any very materialdeflection of the linksv from a substantially straight line. This tosome extent relieves the truss chains of the sudden snap or whipwhich-might be imparted to.tliem by the construction shown in Figures`lto 4 inclusive if, through rusting or other cause,-there is a tendencyfor the Vtruss chains to resist the collapsing movement. While I haveshown the slot 28 extending from one pivot pin 27 to the other, it will,of course, be understood that any varrangement providing a lost motionconnection between these pins and the links would function inthe samemanner.

I shall now describe more in ldetail, the

`details of construction ofthe tread member of my improved shoe towhichl I have referred in a general way above. I have so designed this shoe as to alord maximum resistance agalnst the stresses imposed thereonwith, the minimum amount of matevrialfso as to make the shoe, whilestrong enough tg,be'ar the loads imposed upon it, of very'lightconstruction. This shoe comprises the bottom plate a, from thefedges ofwhich the end plates b and the side plates c l(see Figures 1 and -3)diverge upwardly; 'Ehe ,bridge members 15 extend outwardly beyond oraway from the end plates Z) and are preferably supported by the bracketsd,

which `are-formed integrally with the end Similar rackets e act asreinforcements between the side members c and the bottom plate a. Froman `inspection of Figure 4, `it will be seen that the hinge lugs 16 areformed integrally with and project outwardly beyond the end plates b. Aliange f projects upwardly from vthe inner edge of each bridge member15, and in substantial alignment with the end plate b at that end of theshoe. These flanges provide means for aligning the shoe with the loadsysupporting wheels before the latterroll upon the shoes.

By providing a palrl ofv truss chains arranged on opposite sides of thetruss arms 'and spaced from the longlitu-dinal center line o the trackchainI avefprovide'd a construction which is more ri 'd against lateraldeflection or movement o the links with respect to each other thanlthoseconstructions in'which a single truss chain is placed substantially uponthe longitudinal center line'of the track chain.

lVhile I have described the details of construction of the preferredembodiment ofy one side'thereot tor receiving a second pair ot' spacedlapart lugs on the adjacent s idc ot' the next adjacent shoe, pintlespivotally connecting the lugs ot adjacent shoe-s, a

' V-shaped member comprising two converging truss arms, one otwhiclrends in a single bearing block for receiving the pintle on oneside of the shoe, and the other of which endsin a pair of spaced bearingblocks through which the pintleon the opposite side of the shoe passes,Asaid last named bearing blocks being .spaced apart for receiving thcsingle bearing block of an adjacent shoe, a cross head at the junctureof said arms,a pin carried by said cross head and having its endsprojecting therefrom, and a truss chain connecting the corresponding-ends ot said pins.

2. A. track chain termed of a plurality of shoes, each comprising atread portion having a pair ot' spaced lugs projectingr from onesidethereof for receiving a second pair ot' spaced apart lugs on theadjacent side of the next adjacent shoe, pintles pivotally connectingthe lugs otl adjacent shoes, a

V-shaped member comprising two converging truss arms, one ot' which endsin a single'bearing block for receiving the. pintle on one side 'of theshoe, and the other' of which ends in a pair of spaced bearing blocksthrough whch the pintle on the opposite side ot' the shoe passes, saidlast named bearing blocks being spaced apart for receiving the. singlebearing block of an adjacent shoe, and collapsible means for trussingthe inner ends of said truss arms to each other.

3. A track chain formed ofa plurality of shoes, each having-a treadportion, hinge' lugs projecting from opposlte sides thereof,

pint-les for pivotally connecting said lugs with the lugs on adjacentshoes, and a member extending transversely of said shoe and comprisingtwo inwardly converging arms, thev outer ends of which are mountedonsaid pintles.

4. A shoe for a track chain comprising a tread-portion having a trussarm extending inwardly from each of two opposite sides,

the said truss'arms converging at their inner ends, one of said trussarms being formed in two inwardly converging sections Yconnectedl by aweb portion which is concaved inwardly toward the center of the shoe toform a recess for receiving thc truss arm of an adjacent shoe.

5. A tread member for a ltrack chain shoe comprising a bottom plate, endand side.

plates diverging upwardly trom said botto-1n plate, bridge membersextending outwardly from the upper edges oi said end plates,y andbrackets extending outwardly vfrom said end members for supporting saidbridge mel'nbers.

(3.` A tread membcrfora track ch'ain shoe comprising a 'bottoni'` plate,end and side plates diverging upwardly from said bottom plate.` andbridge members. extending outwardly lrom the upper edges of said endplates.

7. A tread member for a track chain shoe comprising a bottom plate, endand side plates diverging upwardly from said bottom plate, and hingelugs secured to one of said side vplates and extending outward-lytherebeyond. j

8. A vehicle trackl for'spaced load suppass through the bearinglugsatopposite sides of the corresponding shoe, and connections between thetruss arms permitting the same to fold together in one direction toallow the tread chain to pass around the load supporting wheels butlimiting relative movement in a reversedirection to prevent excessiveinward `deflectionl of the tread chain between the whee1s. y

9. A vehicle track for spaced load.' supporting wheels, comprising thecombination ofa series of tread shoes on which the load supportingwheels may bear and roll over the ground, each shoe having bearing lugswhich interit with bearing lugs on adjacent shoes, a series of rigidtruss arms formed separately from thel` shoes, eac truss arm lyinginwardly and transversely of a correspondingshoe. and having bearingblocks at opposite ends aligning with bearing lugs of the correspondingshoe, connections between the truss arms permitting the same to foldtogether in one-direction and limiting their separation inthe reversedirection,

and pintles passing through the bearing lugs of adjacent shoes and thebearing blocks of adjacent truss arms and forming the only connectionbetween the shoes and trussarms to-v connect the same intoa iexibleendless chain. v

10. A track chain for spaced `vehicle `wheels,v comprising a flexibleendless chain composed of a'series of tread shoes and connectmg pintles,a series of inde endently removable but inte1-connected rigi trussingelements formed separately from the shoes and connected tothe treadchain solely by the pin'tles between the shoes thereof, each trussingelement extending between and being carried by the pintles at oppositesides 1 of one shoe.

`comprising a series of shoes having`paralle1 wheel tread surfaces ontheir inner faces and bearing lugs at opposite sides, the bearing lugsof adjacent shoes interftting with each other, a series of pintlesconnectin the- `independently of the shoes and attached to the treadchain solely by the pintles thereof, each trussing element lyinginwardly of a -shoe and vreceiving lthe pitles at opposite sidesthereof, whereby the pintles serve t0 connect the trussing elements tothe tread chain, and the interlocking of the trussing elements stiffenthe tread chain between the wheels. f In witness whereof, Iy hereuntosubscribe my name this 10th day of January, 1923. lISAAC H. ATHEY.

